An oral report was given on the incident that had resulted in a number of people being assaulted and stabbed by an attacker in the Manchester Arndale. Thankfully, none had been very seriously injured. The attacker had been quickly arrested by the Greater Manchester Police.

Appreciation was expressed for the rapid response of the police that had halted the attacker and for the support that others had provided to manage the incident and to enable the Arndale to reopen the following day. The business most affected in the attack, council officers, and the staff and the General Manager of the Arndale  had all demonstrated how well the people of the city come together and stand with each other in response to attacks.

Special thanks were expressed for Ocean Outdoor, the media company that controls the large-format full-motion digital displays on the Arndale. The company had given their display over to the “WE ? MCR” message on the day of the attack and a “MCR IS OPEN” message on the following day, when the Arndale had reopened.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2019.

Decision

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting on 11 September 2019.

The report of the Strategic Director (Growth & Development) is enclosed.

A report was considered on proposals for a revised City Centre Transport Strategy (CCTS) that would be aligned to the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040. It was felt that a new strategy was needed to take account of the ongoing and future predicted growth of the city centre and of changes in the policy context since the adoption of the 2010 strategy. The new strategy would incorporate the GM 2040 Strategy and the goal of being a zero-carbon city by 2038. The drafting of the strategy would take into account the outcomes of the City Centre Transport Strategy Conversation that had taken place in the autumn of 2018.

The report outlined the key principles and proposals suggested for inclusion within the revised strategy. The proposed vision for the revised CCTS was “a well-connected city centre at the heart of the North, offering our residents, employees and visitors a great place to work, live and visit”. The strategy would set an ambitious goal that by 2040, during the morning peak, 90% of all trips to the city centre to be made on foot, by cycle or using public transport. For travel within the city centre, there was an aspiration that walking would become an ever more important mode of travel.

Based on predicted levels of growth in the city, achieving that goal would need:

·         almost a doubling of Rail and Metrolink trips in the morning peak;

·         a 50% increase in bus trips into the city centre in the morning peak;

·         more than doubling the number of people walking and cycling into the city in the morning peak; and

·         a reduction in car trips.

The CCTS would therefore look to bring about those changes by:

·         delivering an integrated, inclusive and sustainable transport network with increased connectivity and capacity, which meets growth in travel demand for getting into the city centre; and

·         improving the quality, environment and legibility of the city centre streets to ensure it is a great place to spend time in and move around.

The report recommended that an engagement and co-design exercise now be undertaken with stakeholders to further develop the strategy. That was agreed.

The report had also been considered at a recent meeting of the Economy Scrutiny Committee (Minute ESC/19/46). That committee had made recommendations on the key principles that should be covered in the strategy and on how the engagement and co-design exercise should be undertaken. Those recommendations were accepted.

Decisions

1.         To note the intention to produce a revised City Centre Transport Strategy.

2.         That the key principles and proposals that should be covered in the revised strategy include those relating to clean air and zero carbon aspirations for the city and the need to find an appropriate balance of the needs between pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.

3.         To agree that the Council undertake an engagement and co-design exercise with key stakeholders in the city centre and surrounding wards in order to further develop the strategy with support from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 82.

The report of the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer is enclosed.

This report submitted by the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer provided an overview of the one year Spending Round announcements made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 4 September 2019, and the potential financial implications for the City Council. The report described the changes the government was planning to make to support for health and social care, homelessness, education, bus services and for Discretionary Housing Payments. It had been confirmed that the core precept referendum limit for Local Authorities in 2020/21 was to be 2%, which would be less than the 3% limit on increases to the Council tax in 2019/20. There was to be consultation on allowing Councils to again increase the adult social care precept element by 2% in 2020/21. If allowed, that would equate to £3.3m for Manchester.

It was noted that the report had also been considered at a recent meeting of the Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee. The committee had noted the report (minute GSC/19/55).

Decision

To note the report.

The report of the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer is enclosed.

A report concerning requests to increase the capital programme was submitted. We agreed to make three changes to the programme. These changes would increase the Council’s capital budget by £0.586m in 2019/20, funded partly from borrowing and mainly from an external contribution from the GM Mayor’s Challenge Fund.

We also noted two changes that had been approved by the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer.

Decisions

1.         To approve the following changes to the capital programme:

a)         Neighbourhoods – Hough End Football Changing Facilities. A capital virement of £0.184m is requested from the Park Development Programme, funded by borrowing.

b)         Highways - Levenshulme Mini Holland Cycling and Walking scheme – Development Costs. A capital budget increase of £0.651m is requested, funded by an External Contribution from the Mayor’s Challenge Fund.

c)         ICT – Replacement of Symology Application for Highways – Feasibility. A capital budget decrease of £0.065m is requested and approval of a corresponding transfer of £0.065m to the revenue budget, funded by ICT Investment Plan.

2.         To also note increases to the capital programme totalling £0.430m as a result of two further approvals made by the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer: being £148,000 for festive lighting; and £282,000 for the GM ‘Homes as Energy Systems’ project.

The report of the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer will follow (and is now published).

A report was submitted to provide a summary of the position of the 2019/20 revenue budget as at the end of August 2019. The report gave details of the projected variances to budgets, the position of the Housing Revenue Account, Council Tax and business rate collection, revised prudential borrowing indicators, and the state of the Council’s contingency funds. Projecting forward from the position at the end of August 2019 it was forecast that by the year-end in March 2020 the revenue budget would be overspent by £6.027m, a worsening of the position predicted in July (Minute Exe/19/63). The report explained that the projected further overspend had mainly arisen from service pressures on the adult social care budgets.

Proposed Virements

The report proposed two funding virements, both of which were large enough to require the approval of the Council.

(1) A virement of £175k in 2019/20 and £0.698m in future years (of which £486k is permanent and £212k time limited). Increases in parking, bus lane enforcement and residents' parking activity has led to an increase in the number of penalty charges notices issued by the Council. The virement was to fund additional operational, technical and managerial resources and enable the delivery of a service improvement and transformation programme.

(2) A virement to reduce both the Transport Levy budget by £1.333m, from £38.157m to £36.824m, and Grants and Contributions budget from £1.618m to £285k. Funding sources within the GMCA Transport budget had changed. In February 2019 it had been agreed that the Transport Levy would increase by £8.3m, which would be off-set by grants from the GM Mayor. Of the £8.3m, £6.84m could now be retained within the Mayoral General Fund which would necessitate a reduction per district in the remaining Transport levy payable, which would be off-set by not receiving Mayoral grants to the same amount.

Budgets to be Allocated

When setting the 2019/20 budget the Council has agreed to hold some funds for contingencies, and other money that was to be allocated throughout the year. The report proposed the use of some of these budgets to be allocated. These were agreed:

(1) Release of £125k for a data governance restructure to enable a succession plan and allow the service to respond to increasing demand and structure the service so it is more aligned to current council directorates. This would also support an additional apprenticeship post.

(2) Release of £334k for an initiative to deliver a more attractive offer to foster carers, an effective marketing campaign, develop skills within the in-house fostering service and plan for conversion of external foster carers to internal foster carers.

(3) Release of £400k for Home to School Transport for cumulative increases in inflation for insurance premium, requirements to reduce vehicle emissions by 2020/21 and changes in the national minimum wage since the last tender of contracts for Home to School Transport.

(4) Release of £254k to cover the increase in the average weekly cost of foster care placements by 7%, from £3,642 per week  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85.

The report of the City Solicitor is enclosed.

At its meeting on 2 October the Council had approved changes to the Constitution (Minute CC/19/75), including changes to the powers delegated to officers. A report was submitted seeking approval for the delegation of various executive functions to officers of the Council; those functions being recorded in the revised Part 3, Section A of the Council’s October 2019 Constitution. The report also sought approval for the delegation to officers of the Council’s various executive functions set out in Part 3, Section F of the Council’s 2019 Constitution.

The report explained the legal powers available to the Leader and to the Executive to arrange for the exercise of and delegation of executive functions within the Council. We supported the proposed delegations.

Decisions

1.         To Note the decision of the Leader of the Council to exercise his power under Section 9E(2) of the Local Government Act 2000 (as amended) to delegate the discharge of all of the Council’s executive functions to the Executive.

2.         To note and endorse the decision of the Leader of the Council to delegate to officers the discharge of all of the Council’s executive functions recorded at Part 3, Sections A and F of the Council’s October 2019 Constitution as set out in the version of those sections presented to Council at its meeting on 2 October 2019.

3.         In relation to the Scheme of Delegation to Officers set out in Part 3, Section F of the Council’s October 2019 Constitution, to note that such delegations of executive functions include those functions that are designated as “Executive Functions” and those functions that are designated as “General Functions” insofar as these are executive functions.

The report of the Strategic Director (Growth & Development) is enclosed.

The Knott Mill area is located south west of the city centre close to the Castlefield neighbourhood, Whitworth Street West, First Street and the Great Jackson Street regeneration area. Knott Mill is adjacent to the River Medlock and is close to Deansgate Railway Station and Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink Station. Knott Mill has a distinctive sense of place and unique characteristics due to the presence of key buildings of architectural, historical and cultural importance. The area’s important heritage buildings provide a very different look and feel to that of adjacent neighbourhoods. However, surface car parks, under-utilised buildings and gap sites diminish the local townscape as does the quality of public amenity space and public realm.

In June 2019 we had approved in principle a draft Knott Mill Masterplan and had

Requested that the Chief Executive undertake a public consultation exercise on the draft (Minute Exe/19/49). A report now submitted by the Strategic Director (Growth and Development) set out the outcome of that consultation.

Consultation letters had been sent to 2,225 local residents, landowners, businesses, local community groups and stakeholders. The masterplan had been made available on the Council’s website. A presentation was given to the Castlefield Forum, informing local residents and stakeholders about the proposals. The consultation opened on 18 July and, following a six-week period of consultation, closed on 29 August.

There had been 30 responses received: 20 via the Council’s website and 10 by email or letter. The breakdown of respondents was: 5 stakeholders; 19 residents; 3 businesses; 2 landowners; and 1 developer. The online respondents had been asked whether they agree or disagree with the Masterplan proposals. Of the 20 online responses 13 had agreed, 6 disagreed and 1 did not express a view.

The report examined the range of issues that had been raised by consultees, and set out a proposed response to each. To take account of the responses to the consultation, these changes to the draft were proposed and agreed.

·         An amendment to the boundary line to include the entire Deansgate Station site within the ‘Zone of Interest’.

·         Additional text to be included in the section on Density to reflect the potential for high density at the Deansgate Station site.

·         Additional text in section 4.10 to emphasize the opportunity for sustainable and active travel, including cycling.

·         Additional text in 4.10 on reducing reliance on car usage, and a reference to electric charging point and car clubs.

·         Additional text in relation to improving key interfaces (Old Deansgate, River Medlock and Hewitt Street arches) to be added into section 5 on Urban Design Principles. Reference will also be made to Deansgate Quay.

·         Additional text to be included in 5.3.3 on maximizing green infrastructure such as green roofs and tree planting.

·         Additional text to the section on active frontages to make reference to the opportunities along the site’s southern boundary.

·         The plan on page 46 will be amended to include the MSJ & AR viaduct.

·         Additional text on ‘Sustainable Drainage Opportunities’ is proposed to be added to the ‘Framework  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87.

The report of the Strategic Director (Growth & Development) will follow (and is now published).

(Councillor Richards declared a pecuniary interest in this item of business from being a member of the board of One Manchester. She withdrew from the meeting while this item of business was considered).

Approval was sought for the disposal of the land known as the Blackrock Street development site that was shown edged red on a plan appended to the report.

This site was to form an initial phase of the redevelopment of the Grey Mare Lane Estate that was to be undertaken by One Manchester Housing Association over the next few years. The focus of this was to be: carrying out improvements to existing housing; the undertaking of some selective demolition; and the provision of new housing in a range of affordable tenures. There would also be a second focus on the zero-carbon agenda.

Agreement had been reached with One Manchester that the land would be used exclusively for the provision of social rent houses. One Manchester believed that 22 two, three and four-bedroom family houses could be accommodated on the land. Accordingly, the disposal would be at an under-value compared with it being sold for housing development on the open-market, to be used for the development of houses for market sale or rent. The open-market value of the site was considered to be approximately £484k to £550k. that potential income would be forgone by this proposal as it was anticipated that this disposal would be for a nominal amount, subject to receipt of a full financial appraisal from One Manchester. The disposal for a nominal value was agreed.

Decisions

1.         To approve the disposal of land at an undervalue to One Manchester as set out in the report and its appendix.

2.         To delegate authority to the Head of Development in consultation the Deputy Chief Executive & City Treasurer and the Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration, to finalise the terms of the transaction, to facilitate the development of new build housing which will be exclusively for social rent in accordance with the Council’s affordable housing ambitions.

3.         To authorise the City Solicitor to enter into and complete all documents and agreements necessary to give effect to the recommendations.

The report of the Strategic Director (Growth & Development) will follow (and is now published).

In March 2017 we had endorsed the draft Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) for the Portugal Street East area of the city as the basis of public consultation (Minute Exe/17/057). In March 2018 we had considered the outcome of that consultation and had we agreed to adopt the principles of the proposed SRF so that it could become a material consideration in the consideration of planning applications submitted in the future. The adoption of the final text of the proposed SRF was delated to the Strategic Director (Development) (Minute Exe/18/038).

A report now submitted by the Strategic Director (Growth & Development) provided an update on progress with the adoption of the SRF and on the collaboration agreement between the landowners. It explained the complexity of assembling the land that would allow for the creation of a new public park in the area covered by the SRF, and why it might be necessary for the Council to contemplate using compulsory purchase powers to acquire the land needed for the new park. Approval was given for this work to continue.

Decisions

1.         To note that the Strategic Director (Growth & Development) had exercised delegated authority to approve the Portugal Street East Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF).

2.         To note that the delivery strategy for the main public square may require the City Council to consider providing support to such strategy by exploring the exercise of its Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) powers.

3.         To approve the Council exploring the use of Compulsory Purchase Order Powers, where it can be demonstrated that the development, redevelopment or improvement of land, or acquisition is required in order to achieve the proper planning of the area.

Enclosed for information are the Decision Notices for meetings of the GMCA on 27 September 2019 and 7 October 2019.

Decision

To note the decisions made by the GMCA at its meetings on 27 September and 7 October 2019.